The Story Of Lyra Silvertongue
by Midnight Maiden
Summary: Lyra is determined to find Will again, but she can't figure out the Alethiometer and nothing seems to be working. Will she ever find her true love again? Basically Lyra and Will fluff with a little bit of adventure. Worth the time to read!
1. Chap. 1- A Fatal Mistake

The Story Of Lyra Silvertongue  
  
Chap 1: A Fatal Mistake  
  
Lyra looked desperately around her, like she was trying to find someone. She was confused. She was at the bench in the botanic garden but Will wasn't. Suddenly she felt a ghostly tingle on her hand and sighed. He was here. She reached for where she hoped his face was and kissed him. She had guessed right, she knew, when she felt his soft lips touch hers. They weren't really there of course, but there was a certain feeling you got, like touching a spector, but a thousand times better. She smiled. She could be happy right now.  
  
"Will," she whispered knowing he couldn't here her, "I love you. I love you with my whole heart."  
  
She wished she could be there in his world, right there, sitting next to him. But for now this was good enough. Or, at least, as good as it could be. She had tried so hard to use the Alethiometer but was getting nowhere. She had refused to go to that snobby school for girls. She wouldn't be able to handle that life after all her adventures. She'd stayed an entire summer with Iorek in Svalbard, and had enjoyed every minute of it. Unless she was thinking of Will, which happened a lot.  
  
She couldn't help it. As far as she was concerned Will was her everything. The only thing she would ever need in her life. But she couldn't have him. She knew Pan thought about Kirjava as well. Although they weren't as close as they had been, she could still nearly read his thoughts.  
  
She didn't care what anyone said. She was going to find a way to her Will, even if it took a lifetime. She had to see his smile, feel his touch, and taste his kiss again or she wouldn't be able to live with herself.  
  
A lot of times she found herself thinking, why me, of all girls that had to do what I did and see what I saw, why me? But she was glad she had suffered through those terrible trials. If she hadn't she never would have met Will. And as people say it's better to have loved and lost then never to have loved at all. She used to think that was the dumbest cliché she'd ever heard, but now she knew it was true.  
  
Although they'd only promised each other an hour they both stayed all day. As the sun sank into the horizon she knew she had to leave. She kissed Will one more time and left. She wasn't happy anymore. Her heart was heavy and she felt great loss yank at her heart once again. She sulked back to Jordan and cried herself to sleep.  
  
She woke the next morning and dressed for work. She'd decided to make herself useful by finding a little job, where she could make a little money. She'd been hired to assist a horse trader at one of the horse fairs. She hated seeing the horses go, but they never stayed long enough to bond with anyway.  
  
When she got there she checked in and grabbed some brushes. The horses had to look perfect so people would buy them. She kind of wished she could have a horse but always decided against it. She couldn't afford it. At the first stall a very ugly appaloosa/roan gelding with a funny head and short legs stood there. It upset her that no one had bought him after he'd been here for three weeks! He made up for his looks with a wonderful disposition, but no one would give him a chance. "Hey Joey. How are you this morning?"  
  
She finished work and left at close to sunset. It had been a busy day and she was exhausted. She went to sleep but found that that wasn't any better.  
  
***..."I'm hungry," Will said.  
  
"Me too," said Lyra though she was feeling more than that, something subdued and pressing and half-happy and half-painful, so that she wasn't sure what it was.  
  
They unfolded the cloth and ate some bread and cheese. For some reason their hands were slow and clumsy, and they hardly tasted the food, although the bread was floury and crisp from the hot baking stones, and the cheese was flaky and salty, and very fresh.  
  
Then Lyra took one of those little red fruits. With a fast-beating heart, she turned to him and said, "Will..."  
  
And she lifted the fruit gently to his mouth.  
  
She could see from his eyes that he knew at once what she meant, and that he was too joyful to speak. Her fingers were still at his lips, and he felt them tremble, and he put his own hand up to hold hers there, and neither of them could look; they were confused; they were brimming with happiness.  
  
Like two moths clumsily bumping together, with no more weight than that, their lips touched...***  
  
Lyra sat up in bed and her eyes filled with tears. She couldn't think about that right now, she wouldn't! She wouldn't let this get to her. She couldn't cry every time something happened; every time she saw a cherry or gold powder, or even stupid kitchen knives! Everything she saw reminded her of Will one way or another, true, but she couldn't let it take over her life like this.  
  
She saw the sun was starting to come out and she decided to get an early start. Maybe she could relax. She got to the trader's tent and went to tend to the horses. A new horse stood in one of the empty stalls and she went in to see him. He was a cute little red horse but he was awfully dirty. She grabbed the brushes and got to work. She passed behind him to brush his other side—big mistake! His hind legs lashed out connecting with her head and sending her flying. As she crashed into the wall blackness took her over. 


	2. Chap. 2- A Beautiful Reunion

The Story Of Lyra Silvertongue  
  
Chap 2: A Beautiful Reunion  
  
Lyra woke up in strange white room. The pillows behind her head were stiff and uncomfortable. Everything smelled almost too clean. It was suffocating and Closter phobic. Pan was lying next to her and she pulled him onto her lap. Strange metal things were hanging all over and boxes Will had called televisions kept beeping and humming. She had something up her nose, which she immediately pulled out. She was also wearing ugly white cloths.  
  
A strange lady wearing all white walked in with a clipboard. "Oh, I see you're finally awake," she said smiling.  
  
"Where am I?" Lyra finally asked.  
  
"Some one found you blacked out in the middle of the road and brought you here. You've been asleep for three days. We couldn't get that little ferret away from you so we let him come."  
  
Lyra then realized that her new outfit had no pockets so her Alethiometer couldn't possibly be with her. "My Alethieometer! Where is it! Where did you take it!" She was in a total panic. She had to have it.  
  
"What are you talking about dear?" the white lady asked.  
  
"It's like a golden compass thingy with pictures." She tried to explain it the best she could so this strange lady would understand.  
  
"Oh that," the lady walked over to a drawer and pulled it out. "Is this what you're talking about?"  
  
"Yes! Give it to me!" She snatched it out of the lady's hands and held it close to her.  
  
"What is your name child?"  
  
"Huh? Oh right, Lyra Silvertongue."  
  
"Silvertongue, that's an interesting last name."  
  
"It was given to me."  
  
Lyra saw that this lady had no daemon and a faint light of hope flickered in her heart. "Is this Oxford?"  
  
The lady nodded.  
  
"Is there cars here?"  
  
Again the lady nodded.  
  
Lyra could have screamed. This had to be Will's world!  
  
"Would you like to make a phone call? Do you know any one around here?"  
  
"Yes, I think I do. Could I talk to William Parry or Mary Malone?" She hoped so hard that they would be here.  
  
"Let me go get that number for you." The lady left and Lyra started talking to Pan.  
  
"Pan, this has to be Will's world! It has to be! I don't know how we got here but that weird lady has no daemon and there are cars here, just like Will's world! I might even get to talk to him!" Her heart was pounding in her chest. She might see him again!  
  
"I hope so Lyra, I really do. But, what if it isn't, what are we going to do?"  
  
"We'll do what we always do. Explore and go on an adventure."  
  
The lady walked in and pushed some buttons on a weird thing before handing it to Lyra. When she just starred at it the lady said, "Put it up to your ear and talk."  
  
Lyra was amazed when she heard the thing ring. A voice on the other line said, "Hello?"  
  
Lyra's heart stopped. She could hardly believe what she was hearing. "Will?"  
  
"Yes, this is Will."  
  
"Oh, Will it's me! It's Lyra!" She told him, starting to cry.  
  
"Lyra? I don't know why you think this is funny guys, but it isn't." Will started laughing. "How did you find out about Lyra anyway?"  
  
"Will, what are you talking about? It's me Lyra! For real it really is!" She cried. He thought this was one of his friends jokes!  
  
"It can't be you. You're gone forever." Will said , but his voice sounded different when he said it; he knew very well that he was talking to Lyra, but he didn't believe it.  
  
"Will, it's me really. Why are you doing this? Aren't you happy to see me? Pan wants to see Kirjava so bad. Don't you believe me?" Lyra asked, her heart crushing.  
  
The other line was silent for a moment. "Oh, God! It really is you! Lyra! Lyra, how did you get here? Where are you?"  
  
"I don't know how I got here and I'm not really sure where I am. It looks kind of like a hospice. Hang on." She turned to the lady. "Is this the hospice?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Yeah, Will, I'm in the hospice. Will you come get me?" This was the Will she knew.  
  
"Of course! Mary and I will be there right away!"  
  
"Bye Will. I love you."  
  
"I love you too, I'll be right there."  
  
She gave the sound box back to the nurse, or she supposed she was a nurse, and started crying into Pan's fur. "We're here! We really are here." She couldn't help it. She was so happy and relieved that she had to cry it out.  
  
"Are you okay?" the nurse asked.  
  
"Yeah, just a little confused is all. Will is going to come get me. Him and Mary will be here soon."  
  
"I don't know if you are stable enough to leave yet."  
  
"I'm stable enough and I'm leaving. I have better things to do than sit here when I am perfectly fine!" She told the nurse matter of factly.  
  
"Would you like to get dressed?" the nurse asked.  
  
Lyra looked at her hospice clothes and nodded. "Do you have the things I came in?"  
  
The nurse nodded and pulled her plain brown dress out of another drawer. It was nothing special, but it was hers and she wanted it. The nurse left and she changed into it. When she looked in the mirror her dirty blonde hair was an absolute mess. As soon as the nurse returned she asked, "Can I have a brush?"  
  
The nurse handed her one and she ran through her hair until it looked somewhat tame. It didn't matter what she looked like, Will would love her anyway.  
  
Some one knocked at the door and the nurse went to answer it. In the door way stood Will and Mary. Will pushed himself into her room and ran to her. She threw her arms around his neck and started sobbing. "I never thought I would do this again." she said laughing.  
  
Will kissed her nose. "Neither did I."  
  
Lyra kissed his mouth, an act she never thought would be possible, though she'd always prayed. Will deepened the kiss and neither really cared who saw.  
  
The nurse looked at Mary and asked, "Aren't they a bit young for that?"  
  
Mary shook her head and looked at the two. "You'd be surprised. You really would."  
  
"I don't know if she's stable enough to leave yet. She still seems a little bit out of it. It seems like everything around is unrecognizable to her except you two. I think we might want to have the psychologist look at her."  
  
Mary shook her head again. "No, she just needs to be home. I'm sure she's just having a bad day." ~*Poor Lyra, she must be so confused.*~  
  
"Well, okay."  
  
Will picked Lyra up into his arms and carried her over to Mary.  
  
"I can walk Will," she told him.  
  
"I know. I just want to carry you." He said, kissing her forehead.  
  
Lyra giggled. "Okay."  
  
"Ready, Mary?"  
  
"Yep, let's go."  
  
With Lyra in Will's arms the three left the hospital to figure out the biggest puzzle of all. How did she get here at all? 


	3. Chap. 3- A Midnight Angel

The Story Of Lyra Silvertongue  
  
Chap 3: A Midnight Angel  
  
  
  
Will brought Lyra into the home that he and Mary shared. His mother was in a treatment center to recover, but would be back in a few months. He set her in a chair and sat next to her. She snuggled as close as she could get and took shelter in his arms. Mary sat across from them in a recliner and let them have a moment.  
  
After a while she asked, "Lyra, how did you get here?"  
  
Lyra groaned. She didn't feel like answering questions. "I dunno." Those two words made Lyra suddenly remember her past. Even though so much had happened she was still just street rat Lyra and she was glad. As many times as somebody would tell her not to say those words she always would. It also made her think of her wicked mother and her mixed feelings but she shut that out for the moment.  
  
"What happened before you found yourself here?" Mary prodded.  
  
Lyra thought really hard. "I got kicked in the head by a horse."  
  
Will almost choked next to her. "You what?"  
  
"One of the new horses got upset when I went behind it and it kicked me. I flew against a wall and woke up here." Why did she have to answer questions now? She didn't feel like it. "Does it really matter right now? I'm here and happy and healthy. We'll figure this out later."  
  
Pan, who was lying by Kirjava nodded. "I quite agree."  
  
"Lyra, you should rest," Will suggested.  
  
"No!" she cried. "I just got here. I don't want to miss even one moment! Not even to sleep!"  
  
"I'll go with you then. As soon as you wake up we'll do whatever you want." Will suggested.  
  
"It's a good idea," Mary said to Lyra.  
  
She looked up at Will. "You'll come with me?"  
  
"Absolutely."  
  
The two trudged up stairs and their daemons followed. Will let Lyra lay down on he bed and he fell in beside her. He wrapped his arms around her delicate frame and she was asleep almost instantly.  
  
Will wasn't particularly tired but just watching her sleep made him drowsy. This was the only time that her fire didn't show. Now, she was just serene and peaceful. He breathed in her hair and dozed off with her.  
  
By the time Lyra woke the moon was out and the stars were shining. When she saw Will sleeping next to her she thought she was in another terrible nightmare, but remembered that he really was there beside her. He was finally real. She smiled and poked his shoulder to wake him up. He jumped at her touch and looked as confused as she had been.  
  
"I'm real, remember?" She reminded him.  
  
He nodded. "I know. I just can't believe it somehow."  
  
"I hardly can either. It's like one minute I was there, but now I'm here. With you."  
  
"But how. We have to get you back somehow, or you'll die," Will said.  
  
"Will I don't know. I prayed so hard everyday Will, but nothing ever happened. I studied all day trying to figure out the alethiometer, but it would never answer the only question I ever cared to know the answer to. I cried myself to sleep most nights and Pan would have to wake me and try to stop my tears, because they wouldn't go away even after I was asleep. I stopped caring about anything but that. People tried to help, but I didn't want it. All my time was dedicated to finding you, and somehow, it happened by complete accident." She looked at him and smiled. "I can read the alethiometer again."  
  
Will raised an eyebrow. "They said it would take you years."  
  
"I don't know how it happened, it just slowly came back to me." She pulled the velvet package from her pocket and took out her golden compass. "Watch, I'll show you."  
  
She sat cross-legged on the bed and set the compass on her lap like she always had. She spun the dials with a familiarity only she and Will would recognize and slipped into a trance. ::Where's Will's mom?:: she asked it silently, spinning the dials and knobs. The needles started spinning rapidly from one picture to another in a whirr of symbols only Lyra could understand. Finally she looked up at Will and smiled. "Your mom is in a treatment facility?"  
  
Will nodded a little amazed. "Yeah, she's really improved." He paused to think for a minute. "Ask it why you're here."  
  
Lyra did the same thing as before and when she came out of her trance stated, "An Angel."  
  
Will raised both eyebrows. "What?"  
  
Lyra went back to the alethiometer and asked, ::What Angel?:: The needles spun and it was rather long to figure out, but she did. "Your angels." She looked at him questioningly. "Didn't they die?"  
  
Will nodded.  
  
Lyra asked her compass again. "They never truly die, and their remains, as you could put it, made a request."  
  
"Well, what if I would rather live in your world? Which I think I would."  
  
Lyra asked the alethiometer out loud, "How do I get back home?" They waited a moment. "It says an Angel." She asked how to do that. "It says asked Xaphania."  
  
"How do we do that?"  
  
Lyra shrugged. "I dunno, I guess we just ask her."  
  
Lyra took Will's hand and called out to the sky. "Angel Xaphania, we request an audience."  
  
One of the stars brightly intensified and floated down to Earth. It glowed so brilliantly both had to close their eyes and look away. When the light dulled they looked to see Xaphania standing in front of them. "What may I do for you, daughter of Eve?" She asked smiling 


End file.
